PAOLO DI CANIO will sacrifice a summer holiday to conduct his widespread reforms at the Stadium of Light. Di Canio has worked over-time since succeeding Martin OâNeill at the Sunderland helm less than two months ago, with the Italian regularly arriving at his desk before 8am and remaining at the Academy of Light until midnight. That will not change even though the campaign has ground to a halt. Di Canio, who had a six week break from football after resigning as Swindon manager in February, is not heading to the sun, insisting he has too much work to do in re-shaping a side that finished fourth bottom in the Premier League table. Even if he returns to his native Italy briefly, Di Canio says he will still be glued to the telephone or meeting Milan-based agent Roberto De Fanti, who is due to be confirmed as Sunderlandâs new director of football this summer. Di Canio told the Echo: âI will be working, even if I go back to Italy for three days. âI will still spend 20 hours on the telephone or go to Milan to meet Roberto. âI have many things to do. âMy family know what it is like and they may join me at some point. But I did that in League One or League Two (at Swindon) and the main job starts now. âThis club needs to take a massive step for everybody because we want to change everything here.â Transfers will dominate Di Canioâs thinking over the next month after admitting he is eager to land half-a-dozen new signings. That figure is likely to increase, with an already-thin squad being further reduced by the departures of out-of-contract Titus Bramble and Matt Kilgallon, plus loanees Kader Mangane and Danny Rose. Phil Bardsley is expected to be offloaded and he may not be the last, with Danny Graham linked to newly-promoted Cardiff City, just four months after arriving at the Stadium of Light. Di Canio will start his rebuilding job by constructing a new-look defence, with Maritimo centre-half Valentin Roberge set to be the first arrival at the back. But the Sunderland boss is also keen to boost his options in midfield and up front after seeing Sunderland score a humble eight goals in his first seven games in charge.
No one can doubt his commitment and effort. Wish the players would show the same level ! I still have many doubts that he's not one for the long term though.
I don't think that anybody would doubt that he has plenty to do over the summer but we don't want him running on empty in the middle of the season so personally I think he needs to take a short break over the next week or so. I am looking forward to the transfer window and next season already and we've only been finished for a week!!!!!
He'll take a break mate but, after he's sorted a few things out as said pity the under performing toss pots we call our team don't have the same mentality.
He'll go back to Italy for a wee break... and through in a few negotiations with Zarate, Diakité, & Cavani
I'd heard he was almost ordered to go home some nights. Dont know if thats true but it adds to the perception of a driven personality, in which case his own boss will need to manage him carefully.
We all lead stressful lives and a lot of us work 12 hour days 7 days a week without a holiday. I'm sure he'll manage one summer without a break. He's doing the right thing cause there's a hell of a lot of work needs doing in shipping players out and bringing new ones in. August will be here in no time!
I'd swap with him, 3 and a half years 24/7 in my situation. Got lollie sitting again the other day, I will message you the photo I took..
Give ME a break. The way footballers and managers go on about "work", like they've ever actually done any Most of them can't hack two games in a week, and tell me how much actual effort it takes to watch some videos and communicate tactics... If a manager doesn't want to do over-time, have no holidays, and put everything into such a privileged position as that of "Football Manager", they don't deserve to be doing it.
Totally agree mate and with you in that corner. On a footnote, are you happy with Pardew's vote of confidence for next season?
G'Day Joe, off to Darwin on Monday for a few days, then off to Da Nang next weekend, in Vietnam for a month. Looking forward to both, love Darwin and 'Nam. Hows things with you mate? Hows Lollie, she doing better?
Now Pardew has been told he's safe, do you think he's cancelled his holiday and working on how things went wrong? Or do you think he's ready to jet out? MoN and Keane rarely turned up for training when we had game coming up, let alone working the summer. they just left it to the coaches. Paolo is clearly showing more commitment then most managers so I think credit is due.
Still struggling mate, been in hospital 6 weeks now but we have managed to have her sitting in her wheelchair, albeit for 10 mins but it is steady progress but just want the lass home. Her life will slightly improve over the years but unless it's a life of operations then we will take her as she is. Thing is haggis, she smiles through it all, the perfect woman with a body that doesn't work. You take care mate, any life or death **** on your venture then let me know ok? Love your posts, make me smile
PDC's work load reminds me of Brian Clough when he was starting out at Hartlepool, and look where he finished up trophy wise, I would settle for half of his achievements for PDC but know it's early days. The signs are good and hope we let him do his thing without the fans and the media torturing him if thing don't start too well, please be patient, we would be in the Championship if we had stuck with MoN, so at this point we are ahead of the game so onwards and upwards.
